Coffee, Crepes and Online Dates
by short-macchiato
Summary: Eponine tries online dating with interesting results. ExE oneshot, Modern AU.


Eponine bit her lip softly, quickly reading over the short biography she had written for herself before hitting the submit button and slamming her laptop closed.

Why was she doing this? Surely she wasn't quite that desperate just yet? She was twenty-seven, that was still young wasn't it? Eponine already knew the answer to that question. She was young (it was always nice to reassure herself of the fact) but she felt old.

It was a hasty decision to sign up to that online dating website. Induced by some strange belief that she was going to be left alone in this life and by a strange desire not to be. Eponine had always been rather content with the single life. She had never been the child who would plan her wedding, her dream home or her children's names. It wasn't that she did not want children, a husband or a beautiful home but rather, she assumed that these things would sort themselves out, that they would just fall into place. But they weren't, things were not falling into place fast enough and she felt the need to hurry them along.

By twenty-seven her mother had already given birth to three children including Eponine herself. That fact seemed to haunt her, and she found it rather terrifying. To be quite honest there was no way in hell Eponine could even imagine having children at her age, but she just wanted the security, the guarantee that she could have them, once she was ready.

It was official; Eponine was the last remaining single friend, now destined to cut a lone figure at the many bars dotted across the streets and laneways of Paris. Cosette, who had previously kept her company in their unofficial "Lonely hearts club" was officially off the market.

It had been just two weeks since Cosette had met the young lawyer. It was her first day as the principal dancer of the Opera National de Paris and she had stayed back late at the studio for some fittings. She was running for the train which was just about to leave, when apparently the most handsome man she had ever seen stepped between the doors, preventing their closure. "Oh Eponine," the girl practically beamed once she had gotten home that night (her and the handsome lawyer decided to take a slight detour for coffee and cake) "he's just so amazing, you know I never thought this would actually happen to me!"

Eponine tried her best not to be envious, but Cosette made it practically impossible not to be. Growing up, it was Eponine's dream to be the principal dancer at the Opera National de Paris. Her and Cosette were the same age when they enrolled into ballet school together, but just two years later Eponine's parents were out of money and her dream of becoming a dancer was over. So from her seat in the audience Eponine watched as Cosette danced through her childhood, her adolescence and right into a place at the Opera National de Paris, not to mention into the heart of some handsome Parisian lawyer.

It was Cosette, of course she had.

Meanwhile, Eponine was at home, alone on a Saturday night - which was a marginal improvement from being stuck at work - impatiently waiting for the boiling water to soften her the noodles in her Mie Goreng so that she could have dinner with a bottle of red wine and the cast of How I Met Your Mother. She really did manage to cut quite the stereotypical figure, didn't she?

Eponine's mobile lit up beside her.

It was Musichetta, another one of her close friends and flatmates. Musichetta had been the resident "coupled friend" for almost as long as Eponine could remember, meeting her boyfriend Bossuet almost six years ago. And Eponine was happy for her friend; she really was, except for the fact that in that whole six years, Eponine could count all the dates she had been on, on two hands.

_Are you home tonight?_ The message read, Eponine assumed that Bossuet wanted to stay the night with Muschietta - it was much closer to work that his own poorly located home.

_Yeah I am_ Eponine replied, feeling a little guilty for ruining her friend's romantic night. Musichetta didn't reply.

Eponine was just about to get back to her show when out of the corner of her eye; she spotted one of the tabs on her browser flashing. _You have one new message on . _Her mouse hovered over the link as she bit her lip, wincing slightly, and preparing for the worst she tentatively clicked the button.

His profile was surprisingly good. Actually scratch that, it was ridiculously good. Next to his photographs - tall, blonde, in a business suit at a dinner - there was a small, basic biography.

32-year-old male.

Occupation: Lawyer

Living in the Paris area, looking a long-term partner who enjoys art, music and travelling amongst other things.

She leaned in for a closer look at the profile, this had to be fake, it just had to be. He looked (and sounded too good to be true.)

Eventually she scrolled down to the message he had sent just a few minutes ago

_Hey EponineT_

_I've just finished signing up to this website and your profile was one of the first that I was matched with. By the looks of it you're pretty new here as well. Anyway this message is already too long but I was wondering if you would like to catch up sometime soon, for coffee, dinner, whatever, let me know and we can work out a time and place that works for best for the both of us._

_Have a good night,_

_I look forward to hearing from you_

_Enjolras1982_

_P.S (Do people even use ps anymore?) The Medici Fountain in the Luxembourg Gardens is one of my favourite spots in Paris as well, quiet, tranquil, and perfect for an afternoon of reading._

This had to be a joke, there was simply no other way around it, he seemed perfect, and weren't all the perfect people already coupled up? And what was it with all the single lawyers in Paris? First Cosette and now Eponine. Though again, Eponine already knew the answer to that question. To be a lawyer was to be a workaholic, late nights, early mornings and no social life. Exactly like Eponine's job. Eponine worked as a paramedic at Paris' largest hospital Pitie-Salpetriere. Most Saturday nights she was tending to people who had had a little too much fun on their night out rather than having some fun of her own. Perhaps law wasn't the only occupation that attracted workaholics.

She stared blankly at the message, should she respond now? Like right now? Did it make her look desperate if she did? Or should she wait three days like all those trashy magazines instruct? She tried to go back to watching her show but she was barely paying any attention to it. Her mind was still on that message. After realising that she was halfway through an episode and she had no idea what was happening, Eponine decided to reply. She was never the patient type, never the one to follow the "dating guidelines" that were featured in almost every woman's magazine ever. Cosette followed them religiously, and that being said, Cosette tended to be far more successful in her romantic exploits, so really perhaps Eponine should be following those rules. However, as previously stated, Eponine was not a patient person, it was quite simply not in her personality. So she started her reply.

_Hi Enjolras1982_

_I do quite enjoy reading by the Medici Fountain however, by half past three there are the most horrible shadows, it becomes impossible to read and I almost always just leave. If I can though, I will always try to sit by the fountain for lunch. There is a lovely bakery on the street next to the East entrance of the gardens. I am free on Monday night if that works, how does coffee and crepes at Madame Elenore's sound?_

_EponineT_

She quickly read over her message and it the send button before she chickened out. Was Monday too soon? Maybe, probably, but again patience wasn't Eponine's strong point. There was something about this man that fascinated her. He seemed too attractive and far too successful to be spending a Saturday night sending her messages on an online dating website. _This is all so strange_ Eponine thought to herself.

She was just about to restart the episode of How I Met Your Mother she was trying to watch, when the minimized browser started flashing again.

_Hi EponineT_

_The bakery outside of the Luxembourg Gardens wouldn't be Dalloyau by any chance? That is where I always get lunch. Whilst the offices are up in the Montparnasse district, I always take an extended lunch break so that I can pop by there to get a smoked ham and camembert baguette, I feel like you would agree if I said it was the best bakery in all of Paris. And yes, I can imagine it would get quite difficult to read by the Medici Fountain, but my e-reader has a built in light so I am fortunate enough to have no such issues. So, Madame Elenore's, is that the one in the laneway off Rue Chanoinesse? How does 8:30 sound?_

_Enjolras1982 _

Eponine couldn't help but break out into a wide smile, while at the same time wondering if someone was playing a joke on her. It felt like she had known this man her whole life. Why hadn't she tried this online dating sooner?

_Enjolras1982_

_So should I blame you for the death of the paper industry? And yes, Dalloyau was the bakery I was talking about, though I tend to just get an apple and rhubarb torte and call it lunch. You dine at Dalloyau and read by the Medici Fountain, I am surprised I haven't met you before. See you Monday, 8:30 at Madame Elenore's._

_EponineT_

_That was easy_ Eponine thought to herself as she packed up her laptop and made her way to bed. She had been flirting in her pyjamas! It had been a much easier, and far more comfortable than a night out clubbing.

* * *

><p>"Why are you looking so pretty" Musichetta smiled as Eponine walked into the living room on Monday night.<p>

"I don't look overdressed or anything do I?" Eponine asked, turning to face her friends.

"No," Cosette quickly spoke up "that army green colour looks really good on you."

"Thanks."

"Wait!" Musichetta cut in "What's going on? Where are you going? Didn't you work a double shift today?" she asked, "as if you aren't in bed!"

Eponine broke out into a wide smile and momentarily joined her friends on the couch "I've got a date."

"Oh my God Eponine this is so exciting!" Cosette squealed "Is he a paramedic too?"

"No"

"So how do you know him?" Musichetta asked.

Eponine paused "Don't judge me okay? I signed up to an online dating website."

"No way, really?" Musichetta questioned.

"Yeah, and he messaged me."

"Is he hot?" Cosette was always there to ask the most important questions. "Wow," her eyes widened as Eponine brought up his picture on her phone "if he does not look like this when you meet him, you call us and we'll rescue you."

"Okay" Eponine smiled, gathering her things.

"If he is weird in any way, we will rescue you," Cosette continued "where are you guys meeting?"

"Madame Elenore's" Eponine shouted as she walked towards the door.

"And if you're not back by eleven I'm calling the cops!"

"Oh my God Cosette calm down," Musichetta rolled her eyes at her dramatic friend before leaning over the couch to tell Eponine "If it's a shit date make him pay!"

"Okay guys I need to go, see you later!"

"Have fun!"

* * *

><p>She had been waiting alone at a table for just over fifteen minutes when Eponine realised she didn't even know the name of the man she was waiting for. The pretty red head who was her server had already visited her three times and Eponine was beginning to get the feeling that she had been stood up by what was in reality, nothing more than a fictional character. <em>So this is why Internet dating has such a horrible reputation <em>she thought to herself.

Had she been silly or just naive in believing that a person, who seemed perfect from behind a computer screen, could be just as perfect in real life? And had she been so desperate that she had become oblivious to the fact that she had just been sucked into someone's silly game? It was nearing on 9pm and her was still nowhere in sight. How was she going to go home to Cosette and Musichetta? They had been so happy, so hopeful for her just a few hours ago. But the absolute worst thing was that Eponine felt ashamed, ashamed that her had been led on so easily. She was just about to leave when a distinctive mop of blonde curls burst into the quaint cafe.

"EponineT?" he asked once arriving at her table.

"Just Eponine" she quickly corrected, extending her hand.

"I apologise for this," he said briskly shaking her hand "my friends thought it would be a good idea to sign me up from that dating website. I had no idea about this date until half an hour ago."

"What?"

"Yeah look I am really sorry about them."

"So who was I talking to on Saturday night?" Eponine asked.

"I'm guessing Jehan."

"So why isn't he here?"

"Well, he's gay so I don't think-"

"I can't believe this" Eponine muttered, getting up to leave.

"No no no, stay, really, have some crepes, you're here now, my shout."

Eponine slowly sat back down "you're not married or anything are you?"

"God no, my friends are idiots, not assholes" he smiled before delivering their orders to the waitress.

"So are you a lawyer?"

"Yes, what do you do?" Enjolras asked.

"I'm a paramedic" Eponine replied.

"Shit, that must be intense."

"Yeah it is" Eponine sighed, running a hand through her hair, "worked a double shift today so-"

"Look" Enjolras cut in "I am really sorry about this."

Eponine just shrugged her shoulders "it's not really your fault though is it?"

The waitress smiled politely as she placed their orders in front of them, Eponine's salted caramel crepes and Enjolras' traditional lemon and sugar ones.

"So do you go reading at the Luxembourg Gardens?" Eponine asked.

"No, why?"

"Oh, it's nothing, do you do any reading at all?" Eponine enquired hopefully.

"I'm a lawyer," Enjolras replied, "I'm always reading, documents, not books. Though sometimes I go to the Luxembourg Gardens for my runs, I like the change in scenery."

"Oh okay" Eponine fell quiet. He looked exactly like his profile picture, but he was obviously not the man she was talking to on Saturday night. There was no other way to put it she was disappointed.

"So, Eponine" Enjolras tried to break the silence "tell me about yourself."

Once conversation had started between the two of them, it was pretty difficult to stop. She told the man she had just met about her job, and the obscure amounts of paper work that accompanied it. He learnt about Cosette, discovering that he had actually seen her in the Opera National de Paris' production of _Swan Lake _just a few days ago. Eponine told him about Musichetta, an old friend from college who moved into her apartment for what was meant to be a week, but still hadn't left after four years. And to his credit, Enjolras listened attentively, nodding and commenting at all the right moments.

He began telling her about Jehan and Courfeyrac, the two friends who had set up the date (though he suspected that there were a few more in the group that helped plot it). He was an avid Paris-Saint-Germain fan and spent far too long talking about the upcoming match, but Eponine didn't mind. Throughout the date she noticed how his eyes would light up, and his smile widen when he spoke about something he was particularly passionate about, and how his eyes would dart nervously around the room when he trying to come up with something to say.

"So I put in for the ballot to get tickets for the Dali exhibit which opens next week, and I won." Enjolras smiled, his hands waving around as he spoke "I was so sure Jehan would come with me, because he's an art curator, surely he would come, but as it turns out, he hates Dali."

"That's annoying."

"I know" Enjolras sighed "I'm not going to go alone, so I guess I'll just put them on ebay or something."

"I'll go" Eponine said quickly, before biting her lip and wishing she could take it back. _That was far too forward wasn't it?_

"Really?"

"Yeah." Eponine continued slowly "I've always loved Dali's work, but missed the memo on the ballot so I wouldn't be going otherwise."

"Okay," Enjolras nodded "done, that was easy."

After their date he walked her to the station, promising to message her the details of the Dali exhibit later on in the week. Being the traditionalist that he was, he saw her onto the train, waiting for it to pull out of the station before heading to his own platform.

Eponine replayed the night's events over and over again in her mind, smiling to herself the whole way home. That date was a little strange and a little unexpected, but she had enjoyed herself and that was all that really mattered.

* * *

><p>It had been two years since the date at Madame Elenore's. Eponine's favourite crepe flavour had changed three times since, and was currently dark chocolate and chilli whilst Enjolras still enjoyed lemon and sugar.<p>

It was now mid winter and it was snowing outside. The pair, draped in red, white and blue, the colours of Paris-Saint-Germain burst into the toasty cafe in search of somewhere to defrost after what had been a rather disappointing draw.

Eponine thought back to their first date at Madame Elenore's. How excited she had been before it. How disappointed she was to discover the true circumstances of their date, but also how mildly optimistic she had been afterwards.

Looking over at Enjolras she wondered if he had felt the same way. Unlike Eponine, Enjolras was a closed book. His blank, unreadable expression was simply a mask for the man who was always thinking a thousand things at once. But no matter how many times she had asked him exactly what he was thinking, he would never tell her. It was annoying at first, but now, Eponine had come to accept it. If it were something she really needed to know about, he would tell her.

Therefore you can imagine her shock when shortly after ordering coffees Enjolras stepped out of his chair and got down on one knee. "Eponine," he said, "I thought about doing some sort of dramatic grand gesture, but that just isn't us. I consider this a mild improvement from proposing to you at the football though."

"Oh my God" Eponine's hands flew to her lips and her eyes widened as he took a deep breath before continuing his speech.

"Eponine, I love you, more than I ever thought I could love someone. I want to come home to you every night. I want to wake up every morning with you being the first thing I see and your voice to be the first thing I hear. I want to fall asleep to the sound of your breaths, and I want it to be like that forever. Eponine," he paused to look up at his girlfriend who was now in tears "will you marry me?"

His eyes widened and he was sure that he had stopped breathing as he waited for her to reply. After what seemed like an eternity Eponine started nodding, her smile beaming, she was sure she had never felt this happy in all her life "yes, yes, yes of course yes!"

In the years to come Courfeyrac and Jehan would take the credit for the marriage, claiming that only an act of divine (their) intervention would have ever gotten Enjolras into a relationship.

And the couple would laugh and smile and laugh whenever it was brought up, denying their friends the credit whilst wordlessly accepting that it was probably true.

_The End._

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks so much for reading, I hope you enjoyed it, please review, comments and constructive criticism are always appreciated :)<strong>


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